Design and Analysis of a Novel Ocean Current Two-Coupled Crossflow Turbine Energy Converter

Shueei-Muh Lin (), Wei-Le Huang, Didi Widya Utama and Yang-Yih Chen
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Shueei-Muh Lin: Green Energy Technology Research Centre (GETRC), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kun Shan University, Tainan 710, Taiwan
Wei-Le Huang: Green Energy Technology Research Centre (GETRC), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kun Shan University, Tainan 710, Taiwan
Didi Widya Utama: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universitas Tarumanagara, Jakarta 11440, Indonesia
Yang-Yih Chen: Department of Marine Environment and Engineering, National Sun Yat-sen University; Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 9, 1-24

Abstract: In this study, a novel ocean current energy converter is proposed. The energy converter is composed of two crossflow turbines. The two turbines rotate at the same speed but in opposite directions; therefore, the summation of the hydrodynamic torques applied to the two turbines is equal to zero, which can make the converter self-stabilizing. A channel is designed to guide a large amount of water flowing through the turbine, thereby increasing the incident velocity, power, and efficiency of the turbine. The guide vanes are positioned in front of the turbine to guide the ocean current, producing the optimal flow incident angle and thereby increasing the performance of the turbine. A novel empirical formula for determining the power and efficiency of the converter is derived. Moreover, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis of the energy converter is conducted using the commercial software Star CCM+ in the standard κ-ω turbulence model with wall functions. The accuracy of the empirical formula is verified by comparing the theoretical results with those obtained using the CFD method. Finally, the effects of several parameters on the performance of the energy converter are investigated. The optimal parameters are obtained as follows: (1) The optimal setting angles of vanes γ 1 = 78°, γ 2 = γ 1 + 10 ° , and γ 3 = γ 1 − 5 ° . (2) The optimal blade angle β = 44°. (3) The optimal rotating speed N = 2.6 ( V cur /1.6) rpm. (4) The optimal ratio of turbine center distance r L 4 ≥ 2.50. (5) The optimal ratio of turbine shaft length is approximately 5.5 < ( r shaft = W shaft /D tur ) opt < 5.7. (6) The performance of each turbine with N blade = 31 blades is significantly better than that with N blade = 23 blades.

Keywords: vertical-axis turbine; two-coupled crossflow turbines (CFTs); energy converter; power; efficiency; blade; vane; channel; hydrodynamic drag force; CFD (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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